I'm interested in learning to sing, and have been practicing using Ken Tamplin vocal academy DVD for a few days. I think he has some good instructions, and I like his emphasis on Rock, but I feel he doesn't explain some things in the best way.

Are there any singers here who can share their opinion on this guy? anyone who took his course? and I would also like to get recommendations on other video singing lessons.

 

Tamplin is ok, but he gets on my last nerve many times. He is right on head singing and throat singing. His stuff is good for basic knowledge, but he does leave you hanging as he must feed his ego to show you his range. Your voice is always going to be your voice. Every person I have recorded hates the way they sound. What you hear yourself singing will sound much different to others and on recordings. Learn to embrace your voice as it is, but always protect your voice from damage, and always do a little warm up before singing. I absolutely hate my own personal voice, but learned what I can do with what I have. Many people have complimented me, but I feel like there is more I can do to satisfy myself. I have increased my range recently, but the one thing I always concentrate on is pitch. You really have to listen. I study all the notes in any song I sing, and I always play those notes on a keyboard or guitar as to visualize their relative distance from each other. There are so many techniques and (so called) experts that will sell you trash for 40 BUCKS, but youtube is chock full of lessons and tricks, some good, many bad. Don't depend on one person to tell you how. Go to many free sources. Find out what works for you and expand on it. My 2 cents.

 

I've looked at his videos. I think as far as a vocal workout goes, they're ok. You may possibly gather some useful techniques from it.
In my case, I had been singing already for several years when I blew out my voice one night at practice. I decided well, I must be doing something wrong. So I found a vocal instructor, took several lessons, learned proper breathing technique and never have had that happen again. The point I'm making is that you can watch instructional videos, but it's good to have an actual person watching you identifying what you are doing wrong to help improve your technique as well. Don't discount that if it is available to you. It saved my voice.

 

Ive never thought it was a good idea to try and mimic anothers voice and put unnatural strain on your own... just gota sing from your natural sound you have... Lessons is the way to go i agree with @digitaldragon >>> hard to beat that one on one for getting it right from a professional vocalist ;)

 

This right here! So true. After I stopped doing cover material (all we do is original music) my voice got stronger and I developed my own "style" of singing. At this point, if I'm doing covers, I try to use my own vocal style in them.

 

Tamplin IS A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!! Its like Tim & Eric shit!! Complete B.S.!!! If you don't get that you need to look at a different hobby or career!!!

 

So kind of like the vocal coach version of Steven Slate?

 

Thats it brother ! and even if someone sings Covers should just sing in their natural voice always sounds better >>> nothin makes me laugh more than wen i hear someone sporting the Eddie Vedder / Scott Stapp slang on their own pipes>>> and goin in and out of pitch like a mother lol >>> like you said keep practicing is key to a stronger voice just keep it natural ;)

 

I learned the best way possible to never stray from my own ability wen im singing>>> i use to try to make my voice sound bigger doing un natural twisting of my vocal chord and wen i herd it on a recording that was the end of it lol >>> Sound like i was on my death bed lmao!!! chicken squawking Ken Tamplin is in it for show and Money of course... i know he has some good ability and means well im sure >>>But just the way he curls his Tung up and sings from his throat sounds like Kermit the Frog to me

 

Last edited: Oct 5, 2017

Would you mind explaining your opinion? or recommend a different vocal instructor?

Holding such an extreme view of someone when you know barely nothing about his profession (as I do) is very stupid. That's why I'm asking for advice here. Please don't insult the 13 years I've been doing music by implying that I need a different hobby if I can't tell whether a vocal instructor is good or not.

 

lol! I'm sure glad I asked here. I can definitely relate to the criticism he gives, those are exactly the things that made me question Tamplin.

I also so a lot of comments that praise Tamplin's method. The opinions seem to be mostly love or hate with little in between.

Once again asking for recommendations.

 

I learned about Tamplin through Facebook ads. Naturally I automatically questioned if he was legitimate or not. I mean everything on Facebook is real, right?
After looking at a few of his videos, I realized that many of the techniques he was teaching, I had already learned to do so it felt like a refresher for me. I think you could get some good things to practice from his videos, but exposure to other instructors would be a good idea.
As for recommending other "video" instructors, I really can't make a recommendation for you.
Just looking to start singing, I'd say look for videos that talk about breathing correctly, posture, and diaphragm control. Once you've got those basics down you have a solid foundation to build upon.
The best teacher is practice, your ears, and practice. Record yourself from time to time, but beware. No one likes their own singing very much. But you can use the recordings to polish up things you hear that you don't particularly like.
When I was learning, I chose songs that had just one part that would stretch the limits of what I could do. That way I could practice and build the muscles required for stamina and control, but also challenge myself while practicing. This has been the thing that increased my range and versatility as a singer. Maybe I look at it differently as a guitar player turned singer, but this is what worked for me.

 

I really can't stand the guy. Kinda one-trick-pony singer. So happy that I had teachers and learned to sing on my own (years and years of touring, band practices and individual singing) before I even saw his funny videos.